Celebrating Birthdays
by Seyyan
Summary: Birthday celebrations aren't always that...A Birthday Tribute to Ryoma. ONESHOT ONLY.


_An unofficial return to the fanfiction scene..._

_I still haven't updated my other stories yet. _

_Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Prince of Tennis characters. _

* * *

**Celebrating Birthdays**

**by: Seyyan**

**12-14-07 **

* * *

"_-mo-chan! Nya, Momo-chan!"_

"_Nani? Eiji-sempai!"_

"_Mou!"_

"_Momo, Eiji's been asking you if the video camera's on!"_

"_Ehehe! Hai! Gomen, Fuji-sempai, Eiji-sempai!"_

"_Can you hold this for me, Taka-san? Nfufu…"_

"_Eh? Ok…BURNING! GREAT SURPRISE, BABY!"_

"_Minna-san, please calm down!"_

"_Mou! When's Echizen coming! I'm tired of waiting already!"_

"_Fshh, stupid Peach Butt can't control his appetite…"_

"_NANI?! ARE YOU LOOKING FOR A FIGHT?!"_

"_Iie. I'm just telling the truth…fshh."_

"_WHY YOU—"_

"_100/100 probability Tezuka will assign laps. 80/100 probability he'll assign it after the party."_

"_Momo, Kaidoh, 50 laps around the house after the party."_

"_Hai, Buchou!"_

"_Hai, Buchou. Fshh."_

"_Nya! Ochibi's cake looks so good! I just want a tiny taste…"_

"_Eiji! You're going to spoil Echizen's surprise cake!"_

"_Mou! Just a tiny bit, Oishii!"_

"_NO, NO! THAT'S ECHIZEN'S BIRTHDAY CAKE, BABY!"_

"_Nfufu. You can have this extra cake, Eiji."_

"_75/100 probability that Fuji is planning something."_

"_Eh? Arigato Fujiko-chan! Fujiko is so kind!"_

"_82/100 probability that Momo will ask for some of the cake."_

"_Mou! Eiji-sempai, give me some, too!"_

"_NO NO NO, Momo-chan. This is my special cake."_

"_Eiji-sempai!"_

"_Nfufufu!"_

"_Nyahaha! I'm eating my special cake! Nyaargumph…UWAAAAH! IT'S HOT!"_

"_GREAT-O! BURNING EIJI!"_

"_WATER! WATER! ACK! WA—Aah! Arigato, Kaidoh-chan!"_

"_A-ri-ga-to, Eiji-sempai! Nehehe! I'm glad you didn't give me some!"_

"_Mou! Fujiko-chan's so evil! Why did you gave me a wasabi cake?"_

"_Saa…"_

"_Mou!"_

"_BURNING! HOT!"_

"_Fsh, Kawamura-sempai…"_

"_HM? BU—Eh? Gomen, minna-san."_

"_Minna, if you're finished, Echizen's already at the gate."_

"_Tezuka says a nine-word sentence. Ii data."_

"_Nya! Hurry! Hurry! We gotta hide!"_

"_Hide over there, Viper!"_

"_Fssh, shut up Peach Butt!"_

"_HEY—AH!"_

"_Momo! Please be careful not to trip on the camera tripod!"_

_Knock Knock_

"_**HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ECHIZEN!"**_

"…_."_

"_Ehehe! Birthday boy's so speechless!"_

"_Che."_

"_Nya! Let's give Ochibi our gifts!"_

"_Ne, Eiji, that's supposed to be the last."_

"_Eh?! Oishii! Why didn't you tell me!"_

"_Never mind, Eiji. We can just change the program and start with Tezuka."_

"…"

"_Buchou?"_

"…_Echizen. Happy Birthday."_

"…_Arigato Buchou."_

"_Open it! Open it!"_

"_A pair of leather gloves? Ne, Buchou, you're so grown up. Echizen's still a chibi for leather!"_

"_Momo, 70."_

"_Eh?! J-joudan! Joudan!"_

"…_It's because you don't wear gloves in winter."_

"_Ah. Arigato, Buchou. I'll start wearing them now."_

"_Ochibi! Ochibi! I'll go next!"_

"_Uisu."_

"_Since Ochibi loves cats, nya, I got him a custom made Karupin plushie! Isn't it cute?"_

"…_It's the wrong eye color."_

"_Mou, Ochibi!"_

"_Just kidding. Thank you, Eiji-sempai."_

"_Woah! Echizen just made a joke!"_

"_Ii data."_

"_Fssh."_

"_Nfufufu."_

"_Hn."_

"_Eh?"_

"_Nya!"_

"_Eh?"_

"_Sugoi, nya! Ne, Kawamura's next!"_

"_Ano, Echizen. Here, Happy Birthday."_

"_Arigato, Kawamura-sempai!"_

"_What is it? Uwaah! A VIP Card for the Kawamura Restaurants! Echizen, you gotta treat me there, 'cause I'm your best friend!"_

"_Iyadda."_

"_C'mon."_

"_Zettai iyadda."_

"_Echizen no hidoi!"_

"_Momo-senpai, what's your gift?"_

"_Eh? Ah, here it is!"_

"_Caps, nya? But Ochibi's got a gajillion of them already!"_

"_Fshh."_

"_But this ones are special, see! This is a black Fila cap with R, and this one's a white Fila cap with E!"_

"_Why 'E'?"_

"_E for Echizen! See, isn't it great?"_

"…_Baka senpai."_

"_Oi!"_

"_Demo, arigato."_

"_Ehe! See, Eiji-sempai! Echizen likes my gift!"_

"_Ok, it's the Viper's turn!"_

"_Fssh."_

"_Echizen, Kaidoh and I pitched in on our gift. According to my data, this is what you wanted for you and Karupin."_

"_Aa…The Cat Tracer 900. Arigato, Inui-senpai, Kaidoh-senpai."_

"_Hey! Fuji-sen—"_

BOOP

"Meow!"

The hairy Himalayan cat pawed the Power button of the remote control, turning off the TV screen.

"Karupin! I was watching…" Ryoma softly sighed at his pet cat. Karupin was a smart cat who wanted his master's attention.

The former Tennis player stroked the head of his beloved cat that sat on his lap as he lay on the hospital bed, his pale wrist disappearing within the cat's thick hair. His long fingers stroke the cat's chin, the nice sensation making it purr.

"Meow."

Ryoma sighed.

"Happy Birthday to me." He stared at the remote control for a moment, contemplating whether to reach for it or not. Deciding that it was far out of his reach, he leaned back on the pillows, and brought the cat closer to his chest.

"I'm sorry we can't go out to celebrate this year, Karupin. We'll just have to watch this old birthday video instead, since nobody's coming either."

"Meow."

Ryoma turned to look outside the window of his hospital room. He couldn't see the ground, but he could see the snow flakes gently falling from the sky. Absently, he watched the blue flakes as they floated down to the unseen ground.

"Happy Birthday, Ryoma."

'_It's my birthday, minna-san. Do you even remember me?'_

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

_Because it's almost Ryoma's birthday. And mine as well. Happy Birthday to the both of us._

_Here's to mixed emotions... _


End file.
